Denver is an interesting beast for the social scene, that’s for sure.
Becca
It was difficult for me when I moved here, too.
Audrey
I’m a native, and it was still a challenge. But that was probably more to do with my family and my neurodiversity.
Audrey
I’ll take a look at the baseball schedule and figure something out. I’m excited to meet you soon, Layla!
Me
Me too!
I grin as I push my phone into my back pocket. My first set of girlfriends in Denver! I can’t wait to tell Max. That is, if he’s still coming to my apartment tonight.
It feels like a concrete block settles in my stomach as I walk down the hallway to the bench, and when I pass Max, he refuses to make eye contact.
What the hell happened on that phone call?
I am so fucked.
Literally and figuratively.
Troy was calling because Coach told him the GM believes something is going on between me and Layla. Troy ripped me a new one, but was much more angry about what might happen to Layla than how it would look for me. He knows I really don’t give a shit about public perception and what crap paparazzi post about my private life, but the team fraternization policy is pretty clear. Furthermore, Troy basically yelled at me for staying single this long, then finally deciding to show interest in a woman when my contract is coming up.
He didn’t even apologize for calling me right before the game, which he knows not to do. It completely threw me off, and I made Jake switch seats with me on the bus so I could steer clear of Layla.
Not surprisingly, I have an awful game. I go oh-for-four at the plate, drop a pop fly, overshoot a throw to first, and completely miss an easy foul ball. Not one teammate talks to me as I stalk to the locker room, and everyone avoids me on the way to the airport.
It’s a long flight back to Denver.
Arriving home just after sunset, I hide outin the private terminal. A handful of reporters are parked at the entrance, undoubtedly looking for some kind of stupid info they can run with. I decide to loiter around the terminal, in hopes that everyone will leave before me. If Layla walks out with me, would it be obvious I have a thing for her? Seems like everyone is calling me out on it, so clearly I’m an even worse liar than I presumed myself to be. I don’t want to lie again, telling them I’m not into her. Would it hurt her to hear me say that?
I don’t want to hurt her. At all.
“Are you okay?” The girl I’m thinking about seems to materialize out of nowhere, looking up at me with kind eyes.
“No,” I admit.
She tilts her head to the side, studying me. “Why? What happened on that call with your agent?”
I sigh, letting my head fall back as I stare at the ceiling. “Stupid shit that I really don’t want to deal with.”
“Do you still want to go back to my apartment?” she whispers, her eyes darting around to see if anyone is listening.
I let out a whoosh of air as I chuckle. “More than I could ever explain.”
Layla’s eyes widen. “Oh. I just assumed —”
I interrupt her. “Assumed what?”
“That you didn’t want to go anymore. You didn’t respond to my last text, and then you wouldn’t look at me at the game. Which, by the way, we need to talk about that performance and figure out how to change your diet or something, because that was awful.”
I laugh. “Tell me how you really feel, Lay.”
